Cigarette lighter



I. FLORMAN CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed June 21, 1934 Feb. H, 1936.

A e 2 W e s W n m WW .3. lll'l M a w 5 8m 6 3 m a 3 I O .4 .9 m F 6 F O8 sf'llla g 4 3 n v 6 A 2 R O W 3 MWS 8 4 ZWW 0 (L l /o 3 J 1 2 L/ n 50o W M Jfivouf Z 9 MM 2 M 2 A F O 8 m 2 a w w a 2 w Z r 2 ill 9 9 4 r. F%2 F Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIEE 11 Claims.

My invention relates to cigarette lighters and more particularly tolighters of the plyrophoric type.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a lighter of this typein which a fuel containing chamber is closed by a cover, and in whichmeans are provided for igniting the fuel when the cover is removed.

More particlularly, my object is to provide a lighter of this type whichis sure in its operation and which is certain to ignite when the coveris removed,

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fullyfrom the following description particularly when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side View of my lighter in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same with cover removed.

Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section, of the lighter with the baseturned through 90 from the position shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail bottom plan view of the steel aws.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

According to the invention, the lighter comprises a fuel holding chamber2, preferably cylindrical and of relatively small size, the lowerportion of which is filled with a mass 4 of fibrous material such ascotton for holding fuel. The upper portion 3 of the cylinder is ofslightly less diameter than the main part of the cylinder. Around theinner wall of this portion 6 is a wick member 8 composed of somesuitable absorbent material, such as wicking, blotting paper orporcelain. This extends down into contact with the cotton 4 so as toabsorb fuel therefrom. The central portion of this reduced section 6within the wick member 8 is left open for a purpose to be describedbelow.

The fuel chamber is normally closed by a cover It] having substantiallythe same outside diameter as the base 2 and fitting on the reducedportion 6. This cover seals the fuel cylinder and prevents the escape offuel when the lighter is not in use.

The igniting mechanism is mounted centrally within the lighter casing.It consists of a flint and steel so arranged that they will moverelatively to one another when the cover is withdrawn from the fuelcylinder, thus creating sparks which will ignite the fuel. In the formshown, an elongated flint I2 is threaded as at M in an internallythreaded stem I6 secured on a head it which is of substantially the samediameter as the fuel cylinder. The stem I6 is also externally threadedand engages in an internally threaded opening 20 centrally positioned inthe base of the fuel cylinder. The head I8 is provided with a groove 22which may be engaged by a coin or screw driver to unscrew the stem ESand thus remove the flint from the fuel cyclinder. When the flint isworn so as to be of no further use, it may be unscrewed from the stem 16and replaced by a new flint. The upper end of the flint is preferablypointed or tapered as at 24 and extends slightly above the upper edge ofthe reduced portion 6 of the fuel cylinder 2.

Ihe steel or striking mechanism is secured to the top or cover in. It ispreferably mounted on a disc 26 which fits snugly within the cover andis held in place by a screw 28 passing through a hole in the top of thecover and threaded into the disc. At opposite sides the disc is providedwith notches 30 in which the upper ends of the legs 32 are secured bysolder as at 34. The legs 32 are formed of spring metal and at theirlower ends are bent towards each other as at 36. The resilience of thelegs is such that the portions 36 will normally contact with each other.At the center of the line of contact between the portions 36 is providedan opening 38 formed by cutting substantially semi-circular portions outof each of the parts 36. This opening has sides which taper downward andoutward, so that a sharp edge is left at the upper side of the openingas at 45]. The size of the opening formed by the edge 40 is less thanthe diameter of the flint l2.

The operation of the device is very simple. When the parts are in theclosed position, the two legs 32 engage and grip the flint IE onopposite sides. The resilience of the legs 32 presses the edges 43against the flint. A certain amount of fuel vapor will have formedwithin the hollow portion or well 9, and this will be mixed with acertain amount of air which has been trapped by the replacement of thecover after the previous lighting operation. As the cover is removed,

a series of sparks will be struck from the flint I2.

These sparks will operate upon the mixture within the well 9 even beforethe cover is completely removed, and for some time after the cover isremoved since the legs 32 extend well below the lower edge of the cover.This long series of sparks is practically certain to ignite the fuel.The wick will then be ignited until it is extinguished either by thereplacement of the cover or by some other means.

When the lighter is to be closed, the cover is brought into positionwith the hole 38 engaging the pointed upper end 24 of the flint. Thecover is then pushed down, and the beveled surface of the flint spreadsthe legs 32 and thus allows the cover to move to its completely closedposition. The lighter is then ready for another operation merely by theremoval of the cover.

It will be noted that the legs 32 not only grip the flint resiliently ontwo sides so as to give a plurality of points at which the steel isresiliently pressed against the flint, but also that any unbalancedengagement with the flint which would tend to push it out of position orto render the removal of the cover diflicult is entirely avoided.Furthermore, the flint is set in a well in which fuel vapor isconcentrated and which permits the sparks to act on the fuel through along strolse, even before the cover is open.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish itto be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby exceptwithin the scope of the appended claims. For instance, the jaws andflint might be otherwise secured than I have shown, and it is onlynecessary that they be secured to two separable parts; it is notnecessary that the flint be secured to the cylinder and the steelportion to the cover.

I claim: ,7

1. A cigarette lighter comprising two sections including a body portionand a cover movable with respect thereto, a Wick element within saidbody and cover, and means within said body and cover operable byrelative movement between said sections to ignite the wick, saidigniting means comprising striking means having a plurality of flintengaging portions, an elongated flint element extending between saidportions, said portions resiliently engaging the opposite sides of thesaid flint element simultaneously.

2. A cigarette lighter comprising two sections including a body portionand a cover movable with respect thereto, a wick within said bodyportion, said wick having a hollow portion therewithin, means to supplyfuel to said wick, and igniting means for said wick operable by relativemovement of said cover to uncovering position and including a flintmounted on one of said sections and a plurality of independently movableportions on the other section resiliently engaging the outer peripheryof said flint to strike sparks therefrom.

3. In a lighter, igniting means comprising an elongated flint strip, anda striking element comprising legs on opposite sides of said striphaving their ends bent inwardly and resiliently pressed into engagementwith the opposite sides of the strip.

4. In a lighter, igniting means comprising an elongated, substantiallycylindrical, flint strip, and a striking member comprising a pair oflegs of resilient material on opposite sides of said strip having theirends bent inwardly, the meeting edges of said bent ends having opposedrecesses therein forming an opening of less diameter than said flint,the edges of said opening thereby resiliently engaging the oppositesides of the strip.

5. In a device as claimed in claim 4, the walls of said opening beinginclined and the end of said strip being tapered, whereby said wallsand.

the tapered end of said strip act as cam surfaces to separate the legswhen the striking member is pushed downward and to facilitate theinsertion of the strip between the legs.

6. A cigarette lighter comprising two sections including a cylindricalbase open at its top and having a space in its bottom to hold fuel, awick secured around the inner wall of the upper portion of the base, anda cover telescoping with the upper part of said base and removabletherefrom, and means operated by removal of said cover extending intosaid base through the open top thereof to ignite the wick, said ignitingmeans comprising a flint extending upwardly through said base andsubstantially centrally thereof to a point adjacent the top of the base,and a pair of resilient arms secured to said cover and having means attheir ends to engage the flint resiliently on opposite sides thereof,said arms extending below the top of the base when the cover is inclosed position.

'7. A cigarette lighter comprising two sections including a cylindricalbase open at its top and having a space in its bottom to hold fuel, awick secured around the inner Wall of the upper portion of the base, anda cover telescoping with the upper part of said base and removabletherefrom, and means operated by removal of said cover extending intosaid base through the open top thereof to ignite the wick, said ignitingmeans comprising a flint extending upwardly through said base andsubstantially centrally thereof to a point adjacent the top of the base,and a pair of resilient arms secured to said cover and having inwardlybent portions at their ends to engage the flint resiliently on oppositesides thereof.

8. A cigarette lighter comprising two sections including a cylindricalbase open at its top and having a space in its bottom to hold fuel, awick secured around the inner wall of the upper portion of the base, anda cover telescoping with the upper part of said base and removabletherefrom, and means operated by removal of said cover extending intosaid base through the open top thereof to ignite the wick, said ignitingmeans comprising a flint extending upwardly through said base andsubstantially centrally thereof'to a point adjacent the top of the base,and a pair of resilient arms secured to said cover and having inwardlybent portions at their ends to engage the flint resiliently on oppositesides thereof, said arms extending below the top of the base when thecover is in closed position, the meeting edges of said inwardly bentportions having opposed recesses therein forming an opening of lessdiameter than the flint, the walls of said opening and the top of theflint being tapered.

9. In a lighter, igniting means comprising a single elongated flintelement and a striking element having independently movable portionsresiliently engaging the outer faces of said flint element on oppositesides thereof.

10. In a lighter, a body member open at its top, a flint strip mountedon the bottom wall of said body member and extending upwardly to a pointadjacent the top, porous material in the bottom portion of said bodymember around said strip, a wick member secured around the inner wall ofthe upper portion of the body member and arranged to receive fuel fromsaid porous material, a cover movable to open and close the top of thebody member, and means on said cover normally engaging said flint stripand cooperating there with when the cover is removed to produce sparksand ignite said wick.

'11. In a lighter, a body member open at its top, a fiint strip mountedon the bottom wall of said body member and extending upwardly throughthe open top of the body member and terminating at a point adjacent thetop, porous material in the bottom portion of said body member aroundsaid strip, a Wick member secured around the inner wall of the upperportion of the body mem her and arranged to receive fuel from saidporous material, a cover movable to open and close the top of the bodymember, and means on said cover extending into said body member throughthe open top thereof normally engaging said flint strip and cooperatingtherewith when the cover is removed to produce sparks and ignite saidwick.

IRVING FLORMAN.

